Gaudencia Makokha says she is stepping into the National Beach Volleyball Championship in Migori with renewed energy as the December 13–15 showdown heads to Muhuru Bay.
The star blocker welcomed the switch from the Coast to Nyanza, insisting the new venue may unlock fresher, sharper performances as the country’s top pairs gear up for their final major test of the 2025 season.
At the fourth leg of the Kenya Beach Volleyball Tour, held on April 19–20 at Tiwi Beach Resort in Diani, Makokha and partner Phosca Kasisi went undefeated, winning all five of their matches without dropping a set.
In the final, they beat Christine King’oro and Abigael Simiyu 2–0 (21–14, 21–05), after overcoming Lorna Mukhongo and Vivian Bor 2–0 (21–18, 25–23) in the semi-final.
Makokha, who has dominated the women’s field with Kasisi for the better part of two years, said the change of scenery brings the competitive spark the tour needs
She noted that while the Coast offers its trademark humidity and deep sand, Nyanza’s harder, more compact shoreline may favour quicker transitions and more explosive play
“I actually think Migori can give us better results,” she said, her tone confident and relieved after weeks of speculation over the venue.
“The Coast is beautiful, but the heat and humidity are heavy, and the sand slows you down. Nyanza’s air is lighter, the sand is firmer, and your legs respond faster. As athletes, that difference matters. I feel we can produce cleaner, sharper volleyball.”
Kasisi added that the pair have adjusted their rhythm to suit the expected lakefront winds. “The bounce off the harder sand helps our defence,” Kasisi said. “The wind here is different, stronger at times, but more predictable than the swirling gusts at the Coast. If we read it well, we can control the rallies early.”
With the lakefront’s unpredictable crosswinds, set to shape the match tempo from the first serve, Makokha believes the athletes must adapt quickly to avoid early upsets in a championship that carries national pride, season rankings and 2026 continental selection implications.
“This is different from the Coast, where you already know what the day gives you,” she said. “Migori changes by the hour. If you can adjust fast, you win. If you don’t, the sand will punish you.”
The move to Migori marks a significant shift in Kenya’s beach volleyball geography, bringing the national championship to the Nyanza shoreline for the first time under KVF’s renewed plan to spread competitive sand events across multiple regions.
KVF Beach Volleyball Commission chairman Moses Mbuthia described the move as strategic, saying it expands participation, exposes more counties to elite-level volleyball and helps identify talent beyond the Coast-based training hubs.
In the men’s draw, defending champions Brian Melly and Edward Kibet remain the pair to watch with their trademark speed and synchronicity. However, their rivalry with fast-rising challengers Richard Amutalla and Sammy Oseko is expected to headline the opening day.
The younger duo are pushing for back-to-back statement performances after their surprise podium finish at the last tour stop.
by CHARLENE MALWA
